User:Sdsds/sandbox/Hopper (space exploration)

A hopper is a type of space exploration vehicle designed to move between locations on a planetary surface without remaining in contact with the surface during travel. Notable hopper vehicles include the successfully completed Ingenuity helicopter and the Lunar Excursion Vehicle 1 (LEV-1) hopper included in the SLIM mission.

The term is sometimes also used to describe rocket-powered vehicles on Earth, as with the SpaceX prototype Starhopper. On 19 January 2024 the LandSpace Zhuque-3 program completed a successful vertical takeoff, vertical landing hop test with its VTVL-1 vehicle. The flight lasted approximately 60 seconds.